The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-12-30
HUNGRY MAMIE.

Now ..Dip Their Taters in Their Own
Gravy"
Mamma, Tn so hungry
And little Mamie's pale, pinched
face was lifted pitifully to her mothers
And the mother knew by her own
gnawing hunger how the little one
was suffering, for size herself had not
tasted food for forty eight hours. She
rose, went to the wooden cupboard In.
the corner of The room. took single.
cold potato from the shelf, and, pairing
it, put it into Mamie's hand. THAT,
is every morsel there is in the house,
child; take #, and run over to the tav-
ern, and see if you can not get your
father to come home. He will come
for you, sometimes, you know.
Mamie hurried away, for she had
often been to the old-fashioned En-
glish country tavern and seen the Iand-
lords wife frying the eggs and bacon.
in the spider, over the fire, IN the wide
fireplace. and she thought how sAe
would dip her p otato into the fat after
the woman had taken out the bacon.
As she went in, she caught sight of:
her father in drunken slumber; but
her earnest appeal that he should
come home only half reused him
from his stupor. So the little one
waited for the meal to be served, and
then went slyly to the spider and
dipped her potato in the hot gravy.
Get out, you young wench" the
proprietor swife said, coming to the
fire, and pushing the child rlsdely
aside. $50 and dip yer later in yer
own gravy.
The father reused then. Whats,
all thisp" he said. He had been a.
gentleman. Little seven year old
Mamie could remember when they
lived in a home where there were
brussels carpets and lace curtains.
But step by step the drink had
brought them down to the one room,
which had neither carpet nor cur
tains
What's all this?" he repeated.
angrily, as he saw his little ones lips
culver.
81 told the youngster go home and
dip her later in her own gravy"
The drunkard Strengthened himself
up. A look came into his eyes that
they had never worn since the day,
three years before, when the house
and furniture had been sold to paw the
rum-seller.
"Come, Mamie" he said, catching.
the tiny young thing in his arms, aud
holding her close. 1--WE will dip Ow-
taters in our own gravy"
He was almost sober now. Going
out of the door, he met comrade
face to face.
"Hi, Michael! ye're jist the one
I'm a-wantin' to see. Here's the dol
lar got from We the day 1 was dead
broke"
"Thank you, kindly, Pat" he said,,
as he would have said it years before,
had he met his companion in a Lon
don drawing-room. "We'll surprise
the mother" he added, gleefully, to
the child.
The mother-poor woman! - was
kneeling by the bedside, with the
tears raining down her face. 1t was
the first time she had prayed since,
long ago, she had lisped her baby
prayer beside her mothers knee. But
she walled out: 80 God! give my hus-
band back to me! Give him back to.
me, and 1 will love you and serve you
forever" And even while she knelt
the door opened, and Mamie flew to
her arms.
80 mamma! here's papa, and we've
got some bread and butter and bacon
and potatoes, and he's never, never
going to drink any more
And the husband of her youth, the
man to whom she had chung though all
other friends had been lost to her,
knelt beside her, and whispered: Its
true, Mary; SO help me, God!' And
the Almighty help was given, and
friends gathered about him, and bust
ness prospered with him; and one day
he led his wife and daughter back to
their old home, and installed them
there.
As Manic went gayly skipping from
room to room, her father said: "My
little daughter is very happy
Clasping her arms around his neck,
and laying herrosy face close to his, she
whispered: Eyes, papa; dip my taters
in my own gravy now."-Mrs. 4. C.
MOrTO7c in s. s. Times